Virginia Primary: Voters pick pick nominees in local, federal races

Virginia's 2nd District Congressman Scott Taylor speaks during an interview in his campaign office in Virginia Beach, Va. Taylor, a former sniper in Iraq, who is running in the June 12 primary, won his first term by nearly 23 percentage points in 2016.(Photo: Steve Helber, AP)

Voters in Virginia's Tuesday primary will narrow the field of candidates in a GOP Senate contest and nine Congressional races, some Democratic and some Republican.

A handful of local offices also have primaries.

In the Republican Senate nomination contest, voters will choose between three candidates vying to replace incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine, a former governor and vice presidential candidate who is seeking a second term.

The GOP candidates are Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors; Nick Freitas, a state delegate; and E.W. Jackson, a minister.

All three Republican candidates have struggled to raise serious money and the winner will have a serious cash disadvantage against Kaine, who is expected to have about $25 million for this election.

Among the U.S. House primaries, the most crowded is the Democratic contest for the 10th Congressional District in northern Virginia.

The winner will likely face Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock — considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents in Congress — in one of the most closely watched races in the country. Six Democrats are on the ballot.

The Hampton Roads-area 2nd Congressional District, which includes the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is another swing-district race with a Republican incumbent seen as vulnerable in the fall.

GOP Rep. Scott Taylor is seeking a second term in a district that Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam won by 4 percentage points. On Tuesday, the former Navy SEAL is trying to fend off a primary opponent, Mary Jones, who chides Taylor for not supporting President Donald Trump more.

Two Democrats are seeking the nomination: Elaine Luria, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who spent 20 years on active duty, and Karen Mallard, a school teacher.

Not all congressional districts have primaries. Some incumbents don't face opponents, and in some cases the parties chose different methods of nominating their candidates.

Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters must bring a photo ID. Valid forms of identification include a driver's license, passport or student ID. A registered voter without an ID can cast a provisional ballot but will have to complete follow-up steps to ensure it's counted.